System for mixing vaporized hydrocarbons with air



June 30, 1953 J. J. MALIR, JR 2,643,944

SYSTEM FOR MIXING VAPORIZED HYDROCARBONS WITH AIR Filed Feb. 8, 1951 Snventor JOSEPH JA MALIR JR.

(Ittomegs Patented June 30, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT, 1 OFFICE,

SYSTEM FOR MIXING VAPORIZED HYDRQCARBQNS WITH AIR Joseph J. Malir, J r., Denver, 0010.

Application February 8, 1951, Serial No. 210,011

1 Claim. (Cl. 48-180) This invention relates to improvements in description to follow, the appended claim, and 3.

the accompanying drawing in which:

The single figure diagrammatically illustrates apparatus and a system, portions being broken away, with which the method of carbureting hydrocarbons may be practised.

Referring in detail to the drawing, pipe H} is a hydrocarbon supply pipe which conveys vaporized hydrocarbon such as butane, propane, pentane, or any mixture of the foregoing or similar hydrocarbons. Any suitable means may be employed to vaporize the hydrocarbon, one type thereof being disclosed in my copending application, Serial No. 210,012, filed on February 8, 1951, concurrently with this application. Pipe IE! is provided with a valve H, operated by a solenoid l2, and a valve [3 which may be adjusted to provide a variable metering orifice, pipe Ii! communicating with a mixing chamber it.

An air compressor l5, driven by electric motor [5 through belt ll, or the like, receives ambient air through air filter I8 and delivers it to pipe IS. A blow-off valve 26 communicates with pipe l9 and may be adjusted by varying the urge of spring 2% to relieve pressure in the pipe, if it exceeds a predetermined value. The air passes through an air trap 2i, or similar device, to remove any foreign matter such as lubricating oil, and thence through check valve 22 to pipe 23.

Pipe 23 is provided with an air valve 2 3 operated by a solenoid device 25 between open and closed positions, the solenoid being controlled, in part, by a pressure responsive switch 26 actuated by pressure in pipe 23. vA branch pipe 2'! communicates pipe 23 with a closed surge chamber 23. An adjustable valve 29, similar to valve 53, provides a variable metering orifice and by suitable adjustment of these two valves, the relative amounts of vaporized hydrocarbon and air may be varied as desired.

I he air passes through valve 29 and into chamher It where it is mixed with the vaporized hydrocarbon and the mixture then passes through a chamber 3i} having a mass of metal wool therein, such as copper wool. This aids in the intimate mixing of the' air and vaporized hydrocarbon and improves the burning characteristics of the combustible mixture.

The mixture discharges through pipe 32 which communicates with any suitable burner (not shown). A pressure responsive switch 33 is actuated by the pressure in pipe 32. A surge and supply chamber 3 3 communicates with pipe 32 by branch pipe 35.

Assuming that the apparatus is not in operation and sufficient mixture has been supplied by chamber 3% and pipe 32 to permit the pressure therein to fall to a predetermined value,

the operation is as follows: Switch 33 closes and electric current passes through line Ll, through switch v33, through wire 35, motor [6 and to line L2 which starts the motor, thus driving the compressor and delivering air to pipe 23. When the pressure in pipe 23 reaches a predetermined value, pressure responsive switch 26 closes and current passes through wire 36, solenoid l2, wire 31, solenoid 25, wire 38, pressure switch 26 and wire 39 to L2. This simultaneously opens valves I I and 24 permitting the vaporized hydrocarbon and airto flow to chamber it. When the pressure in chamber 35 and pipe 32 increases to another predetermined value, pressure switch 33 opens, and deenergizes both solenoids and the motor, thus discontinuing the supply of compressed air and closing the air valve 2i and vapor valve ll. Any suitable spring means in the solenoid devices may efiect closing of the valves when the solenoids are deenergized, valves of this type being well known in the art.

Having described the invention, what claimed as new is:

A hydrocarbon-air mixing system comprising: a mixing chamber adapted to receive a hydrocarbon vapor and'air for mixing therein to produce a combustible mixture, a source of hydrocarbon vapor, a vapor supply conduit communicating the hydrocarbon vapor source with the mixing chamber, a normally closed electrically operated valve in the vapor supply conduit for controlling the flow of vapor therethrough, an air compressor, an electric motor operatively connected therewith, an air conduit communicating the delivery port of the air compressor with the mixing chamber, a normally closed electrically operated valve in the air conduit for controlling the flow of air therethrough, a nord mally open pressure operated switch in operative communication with the air conduit between the compressor and the electrically operated valve, a manually adjustable metering valve in the air conduit between the electrically operated V valve and the mixing chamber, a manually adjustable metering valve in the vapor supply conduit between the first mentioned electrically operated valve and the mixing chamber, a combustible mixture discharge pipe in communication with the mixing chamber for conducting the mixture to a burner, a surge chamber in con-' nection therewith, a pressure responsive switch in operative communication with the discharge pipe, arranged to close an electric circuit to the compressor motor when the pressure in the discharge pipe falls below a predetermined value,

whereby the pressure in the air conduit will increase to a point where the pressure operated switch in communication therewith closes, said last named switch being connected in series with the electrically operated normally closed valves in the air supply conduit and the vapor supply conduit thereby permitting air and hydrocarbon vapor to flow to the mixing chamber in metered volumes thereby increasing the pressure in the discharge pipe to a point where the pressure operated switch in communication therewith opens and stops the compressor motor and deenergizes the electrically openable switches in the air supply and the vapor supply conduit which thereupon close and remain closed until the pressure in the discharge conduit falls sufficiently to permit the pressure controlled switch in communication therewith to close and begin another cycle.

JOSEPH J. MALIR, JR.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,536,678 Coe Jan. 2, 1951 

